Odnos između azbestnih telašaca, serumskih imunoglobulina i rentgenografskih promena kod radnika u azbestnoj industriji

In this study 52 workers from an asbestos factory were examined. They were placed in three groups: Group 1, directly exposed to asbestos with X-ray changes of the lungs indicative of asbestosis, Group 2 also directly exposed to asbestos, but without X-ray changes, and Group 3 not directly exposed to asbestos. The lungs and pleura of all the examined workers were X-rayed in the anteroposterior projection. Sputum samples were taken to determine the presence of asbestos bodies, and the level of immunoglobulins (IgG, IgM and IgA) was determined in sera. In workers exposed to asbestos, a correlation between the number of asbestos bodies and X-ray changes was not found. The level of immunoglobulins in Group 1 workers was significantly higher than in Groups 2 and 3. In the former group, there were significantly more workers with increased IgG level than in the latter groups.Ispitivanja su obuhvatila 52 radnika azbestnog pogona podeljena u tri grupe (I grupa radnika, direktno izloženih azbestu, sa rendgenografskim promenama u smislu azbestoze, II grupa takođe direktno izloženih radnika bez RDG pramena i III grupa radnika koji nisu direktno izloženi azbestu). Svim ispitivanim radnicima napravljena je rendgenografija pluća i pleure, određivan je broj azbestnih telašaca u sputumu i nivo serumskih imunoglobulina (IgG, IgM i IgA). Kod ispitivane grupe azbestnih radnika izloženih azbestu nije utvrđena povezanost između broja azbestnih telašaca u sputumu sa RDG promenama i imunološkim statusom. Utvrđen je statistički značajno viši nivo imunoglobulina G kod I grupe radnika u odnosu na II i III grupu prethodno kategoriziranih radnika. Signifikantno je veći broj radnika I grupe sa povećanim nivoom IgG

The role of inflammation in the pathogenesis of occupational asthma

Posljednjih godina brojna istraživanja ukazuju na vezu između bronhijalne hiperreaktivnosti i inflamacije dišnih puteva. Istaknuti su najčešći mehanizmi nastanka bronhoopstrukcije sa uključivanjem inflamatornih procesa kao važne karike u nastanku i razvoju profesionalne bronhijalne astme (PBA). Naglasivši važnost inflamacije, autori navode klasifikaciju PBA Moire Chan-Yeung koja uzima u obzir i ovaj faktor. Određeni tipovi PBA po ovoj klasifikaciji postavljeni su u okvir radne sredine. Smatra se da bi prolongirana profilaksa inflamacije prevenirala ireverzibilnu opstrukciju dišnih puteva, što je od posebnog značaja za segment populacije na koji se problem PBA odnosi.Numerous recent studies point out a relationship between bronchial reactivity and the inflammation of the airways. The paper deals with the most frequent mechanisms of bronchoconstriction in occupational asthma combined with inflammatory process. The importance of inflammation in the Moira Chan-Yeung classification of occupational asthma is emphasized. According to this classification several types of occupational asthma are associated with the working environment. It is stressed that continuing prophylaxis of inflammation should protect the worker from irreversible airflow obstruction. This is of special interest to the population suffering from occupational asthma

PROVISION OF HEALTH CARE FOR THE POPULATION OF CHILDREN WITH SPECIAL REVIEW OF THE INDICATORS OF HEALTH CONDITION IN THE PRENATAL AND EARLY NATAL PERIOD

The aim of this paper is to present the organizational settings of health care on all levels (primary, secondary and tertiary), the personnel with university, college and high school education which gives health care for the children. Children's diseases will be presented, especially those which leave traces in the psychophysical status of the child and pose social and medical problem for the family and the whole community. Death rate of children will also be presented according to the causes of death, in the period of 1987-95.Health care of children aged 0-6 years in the primary health care is organized through well-child clinics for infants and preschool children in 18 health facilities and 16 medical centers in the Republic of Macedonia, as well as through rural medical units, with a total of 157 locations.The number of physicians in 1995 has increased 9% compared with 1987 and the number of specialists is 66% higher compared with 1987.Secondary health care is provided through specialist consulting offices as well as through medical wards in general hospitals and rehabilitation centers.Tertiary health care is provided by the clinics of the Faculty of Medicine in Skopje (well-child, otolaryngology, ophthalmology, orthopedics).The death rate ascertained by the health care services for infants and preschool children in the period between 1987 and 1995 shows obvious decrease, which is especially the case with perinatal diseases (19% or one fifth) and congenital anomalies (46%). These diseases are confirmed in the period of early childhood, which certainly gives evidence of better health care and early detection of these diseases.The death rate of infants is constantly decreasing from 44,0‰ to 22,7‰ of the newborns in 1995.Perinatal death rate has decreased from 21,6‰ in 1987 to 19,6‰ in 1995, and the early neonatal death rate (0-6 days old) has also decreased from 12,7‰ to 10,7‰ in 1995. The most frequent cause of death with infants in the early neonatal period are complications in the perinatal period (283 deaths or 82,3%) and congenital anomalies (29 deaths or 8,4% of the deaths in the neonatal period) in 1995

A review of occupational disease surveillance systems in Modernet countries

Background To improve occupational health public policies and to facilitate coordinated research within the European Union to reduce the incidence of occupational diseases (ODs), it is important to know what OD surveillance systems exist and how they compare. Monitoring trends in occupational diseases and tracing new and emerging risks in a network (Modernet) participants are well placed to provide this information as most either contribute data to and/or are involved in the management of OD systems. Aims To identify and describe OD surveillance systems in Modernet countries with the longer-term objective of identifying a core template to be used on a large scale. Methods A questionnaire sent to Modernet participants, seeking structured information about the OD surveillance system(s) in their country. Results Overall 14 countries (70%) provided information for 33 OD systems, among them 11 compensation- based (CB) systems. Six countries provided information for non-CB systems reporting for any type of OD. The other systems reported either only ODs from a prescribed list, or specific diagnoses or diagnostic groups, with reports to most schemes being physician-based. Data collected varied but all systems collected diagnosis, age, gender, date reported and occupation (and/or industry) and most collected information on exposure. Conclusions This review provides information beneficial to both policy makers and researchers by identifying data sources useable to measure OD trends in European countries and opening the way to future work, both on trend comparisons within Europe and on the definition of a core template to extend OD surveillance on a larger scale